traduce
/trəˈdjuːs
/verb [with object]
Speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation: it was regarded as respectable political tactics to traduce him...
- No, I believe the whole thing is a dastardly plot to malign and traduce a great man.
- Indeed, I am frequently amazed at the way some sports figures are traduced in the press, sometimes by writers with agendas to pursue.
- He's perfectly happy, Mr Speaker, to stand by and allow his senior colleagues to traduce his reputation under Parliamentary privilege, Mr Speaker.
Synonyms
defame, slander, speak ill of, speak evil of, gossip about, misrepresent, malign, vilify, calumniate, denigrate, disparage, slur, decry, sully, impugn, smear, besmirch, dishonour, back-bite, revile, run down, blacken the name of, cast aspersions on
informal do a hatchet job on, slag (off), rubbish, knock, drag someone's name through the mud
North American informal bad-mouth, dump on
rare asperse
Derivatives
traducement
- Don't trust their bright shining lies, don't fall prey to their traducements and self-enamored pieties.
- Now he is turning his attention to another, the politicized traducement of American history.
- But even within these limits there are misunderstandings and traducements to be avoided.
traducer
- Those casual, flippant traducers just wouldn't go away.
- We come not to dominate you, as our traducers allege against us, nor yet to encroach on your own perfect and sacred rights.
- He said that the traducers of his boss were behind the allegations of corruption against the governor.
Synonyms
defamer, slanderer, calumniator, gossip, vilifier, disparager, denigrator, deprecator, abuser, smearer, detractor
informal mud-slinger, knocker
rare asperser
Origin
Mid 16th century (in the sense 'transport, transmit'): from Latin traducere 'lead in front of others, expose to ridicule', from trans- 'over, across' + ducere 'to lead'.